The term "sacred geometry" is used by archaeologists, anthropologists and geometricians to encompass the religious, philosophical, and spiritual beliefs that have sprung up around geometry in various cultures during the course of human history. Sacred Geometry can be found in many different cultures and religions around the world, including Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Druid cultures, Christianity, and Islam. Our research focuses on the various artwork, architecture, and patterns that appear in the sacred geometry of these cultures and religions.

Franz Reuleaux was a 19th century mechanical engineer who is best known for his work with Reuleaux polygons, most specifically the Reuleaux triangle. The Reuleaux triangle is a curve with constant width based on an equilateral triangle, and has the smallest area for a given width of any curve of constant width. The triangle can rotate inside and cover most of the area of a square. The Reuleaux triangle has many uses in everyday life, these including signage, architecture, and drilling square holes. The Reuleaux triangle is also a major component of the Wankel rotary engine.

Costa Rica demonstrates many aspects of sustainability. Much of the economy in Costa Rica is dependent on their ecotourism business. This instills a sense of importance in the environment that is not evident to people living in the United States. The people of Costa Rica depend on the preservation of the rain forests and other natural habitats for much of their income. Ecotourism is an example in itself of sustainability. Also known as sustainable tourism, ecotourism does not depend on a resource that will run out, or eventually diminish. If ecotourism is done correctly, it should have a negligible impact on the environment and therefore be sustainable. Ecotourism allows Costa Ricans to sustain their environment while sustaining their economy.

Hydrophobic interactions are very common in nature and control many important biophysical processes. We study the water structure accompanying the hydrophobic association of two graphene plates using molecular dynamics simulations. Significant structural changes occur in the region confined between the two plates. As d decreases, water molecules are pushed out of the confined region; this is accompanied by oscillatory densification and rarefaction of water structure. Also as d is reduced, the average number of hydrogen bonds per confined water molecule is reduced. We suggest possible connections of these structural changes to the free energetics for hydrophobic association.

Cord blood research has provided treatment of diseases such as leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia. This high positive efficacy is brought about by both the stem cells found in cord blood as well as the less strict type matching between cord blood and adult blood. This research looks to show the difference in proliferation and clotting of cord blood cells and adult blood cells as stimulated by mitogen and allogeneic stimulants. Through observation, the clotting ability of cord blood is much less than that of adult blood cells when stimulated by either mitogen or allogeneic stimulants.

This study examined the effects of doodling on boredom and creativity. After inducing boredom by having participants (N = 63) sit quietly for five minutes, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) some were given the opportunity to doodle, (b) some were given an article to read, and (c) some continued to wait quietly. Perceived boredom, creativity, and affect were measured. Results showed that participants who doodled were significantly less bored than were participants in the other conditions. However, participants who read the article scored significantly higher on the creativity test than did the other participants.

The definition and existence of Mannerism, and more specifically Mannerist architecture, is often debated amongst art historians. My research is focused around Michelangelo’s design of the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome and how it fits into Mannerist style. By viewing the history of the Campidoglio’s design and its relation to classical architecture one can see how it was strongly influenced by Michelangelo’s career as an artist. It is my belief that Michelangelo’s design of the Campidoglio adequately fulfills the requirements of several definitions of mannerist architecture with its disregard of typical Vitruvian principles and super-sophistication of classical style.

Sculpture of the Young MichelangeloAmanda Cappabianca – Art Department

The Madonna of the Stairs (1491) and the Battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs (1491-2) both show how much skill and talent he had from a young age. They were both created in the Medici sculpture garden and show the beginnings of his artistic style. In both of these works, it is obvious that Michelangelo was looking at the masters before him, such a Bertoldo and Donatello, and was already aware of classical sources that were studied and taught by humanist scholars such as Poliziano. Although he thought of this early work as disgraceful when he got older, Michelangelo would constantly look back at these two works made in the sculpture garden and improve upon his mistakes to create some of his more successful work.

Arguably one of the most famous sculptures in history, there is a substantial lack of historical documents leading to the creation of Michelangelo’s David. In the few articles, journals and books that do discuss this gigantic beauty, the discussion tends to revolve around the location where the sculpture was truly meant to be placed. Through my research of these articles, books, and journals, I have made my own conclusions about the sculpture's true intended location using both documentation of the sculpture and the sculpture itself.

Our project concerns a young girl who waited until the day of prom to get her dress, shoes and accessories, on top of needing her hair, nails and makeup done. In a rush to complete all of her tasks she goes to Macy’s and needs to determine the fastest route that will allow her to only visit every necessary department once. Our graph displays how long it takes, in minutes, to walk from one department to the next plus the amount of time spent in that department. Will nearest neighbor or sorted edges provide her with the fastest route?

Analysis of a Sediment Core from a Large Landslide in the Southeastern San Juan Mountains, Southern ColoradoAshley M. Cirone, Jacqueline A. Smith, Bradley G. Johnson and John A. DiemerDepartment of Physical and Biological SciencesFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline A. Smith

We present initial results from our analysis of a sediment core obtained from the upper 4.2 m of a bog on the 1.75 km2 Trujillo Meadows Landslide in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado. The top ~3 m of the core is predominantly peat, with fine-grained sediment below ~3 m and angular gravel at the base. Calibrated radiocarbon dates of 10,658 yrs BP and 9,410 yrs BP from macro-organics found near the bottom of the core suggest that the landslide occurred no later than the early Holocene, which was reportedly a time of enhanced monsoonal activity in the region.

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Social Anxiety, Conformity and Coping StylesAlexa Cooney – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between self-esteem, social anxiety and how experiencing anxiety in a social setting influences one to conform and specific coping strategies that one might use to deal with the anxiety. There were 100 participants in the current study in which over seventy-five percent were female. Participants were asked to fill out a number of questionnaires, which measured self-esteem, social anxiety, the degree of conformity and coping styles. The current study found a statistically significant negative correlation between self-esteem and social anxiety. It was also shown that there was a significant positive relationship between one’s level of social anxiety and less useful coping strategies. Both of these findings support the original hypothesis that those with low self-esteem will experience more social anxiety which leads to conforming behaviors and those with anxiety will use more ineffective coping styles to deal with the anxiety. The study also showed that there was a statistically significant negative correlation between level of social anxiety and conforming to social cues. This finding does not support the original hypothesis. Future research is needed to examine the exact nature of the relationship of these variables, and more interestingly the relationship between social anxiety and conformity because the current study did not yield results that previous literature suggests.

Costa Rica has been a leader in developing a low-impact ecotourism model. However, during the last decade, the tourism industry in Costa Rica began to see a major shift in this model. This shift is mostly perceived in the Guanacaste region (the northern Pacific coast in Costa Rica) where developments of huge “all-inclusive” resorts have replaced the more traditional low impact hotels and tourist activities and has left an expensive toll on the sustainability of the province. This has resulted in a clear conflict with nature and with the country’s original model of sustainable tourism.

Beginning moments after conception, our fates are directed by both our genes and the environment around us, dictating how we develop into human beings. This begs the question of nature versus nurture; are we a product of our environment, overcoming our genetic predispositions, or are we solely driven by our DNA? Hormone levels in the womb can affect many traits, including athletic ability or something as simple as finger length. Studies have concluded that having a longer ring finger than index finger results from higher in utero testosterone levels. The specific question this study asks is whether or not a relationship between finger length ratios and athletic ability exists in students at the College of Saint Rose. Should such a relationship be seen, one may then suggest that in utero hormones may ultimately affect general athletic ability, confirming current literature studies.

Reasons for alcohol consumption among college students have been studied for several years. This study examined the relationship between low self-esteem, extraversion and the negative experiences resulting from alcohol consumption. College students from Saint Rose were asked to participate in the study. The majority of the participants were females in their sophomore year, and were not of the legal drinking age. Students were asked to complete a total of three questionnaires, which were given out into psychology classes. Findings did show support and statistically significant results for all three categories.

A Review on the Impact of Humor and Personality on MemoryJessica De Marco – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

Humorous material tends to be recalled at higher rates than non-humorous material. But it is not clear as to why this occurs. It was hypothesized that participants who rated video content to be funny would remember more material from the video than those who watched a non-humorous video. And those who scored higher on the memory test of the humorous video would most likely be extraverted in personality. Randomly selected participants were assigned to watch either a humorous video or a non-humorous video and complete surveys and scales measuring variables such as their humor style and personality type.

The Effect of Television Violence on Memory for CommercialsVictoria Deschene – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Nancy Dorr

This study examined the effect of television violence on memory for commercials. College students (N = 36) were randomly assigned to watch a television program clip containing either violence or no violence. Three television commercials were shown during the clips. The dependent variables were the number of commercials remembered and affect following the clips. Results failed to find any statistically significant effect of television violence on memory for commercials or on positive or negative affect. Further research should examine other variables that could affect commercial memory, such as other genres of television shows (i.e. situational comedy, documentary, etc.).

Infections within individual hosts often encompass multiple interactions, involving competing pathogen strains, symbiotic mutualists, hyperparasites, and (for human and agricultural hosts) antibiotics. Here, we present a mathematical model investigating interactions among bacterial pathogen growth, host immune responses, and hyperparasitic pathogen regulation by a bacteria-consuming virus. The model links within-host dynamics to both time-dependent host survival and between-host disease transmission. We develop predictions for both acute and chronic infection. The former are being tested in a three-species experimental system.

Defining and Correlating Middle Devonian Strata Including the Marcellus Subgroup in the Southern Tier of New York State Using a Well-Log Clustering Analysis ProcedureLauren Droege – Department of Physical and Biological SciencesFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Eric Eslinger

The Marcellus subgroup is located in the subsurface of eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the southern tier of New York. Well logs, taken from southern New York, were analyzed using a probabilistic clustering analysis program (GAMLS: Geologic Analysis via Maximum Likelihood System) and used to define major lithologies. The shales and limestones in and around the Marcellus were used to pick the top and bottom of the Marcellus subgroup, and to correlate strata between wells. After making correlations among 32 selected wells the results indicate that the Marcellus thickens and deepens to the southeast. The main result of this work is the demonstration of the ability to distinguish and correlate the formations within the Marcellus subgroup using the well log clustering analysis procedure.

Michelangelo's painting on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel depicting the Last Judgment is subject to much debate and discussion. One of these debates is whether or not his interpretation of Christ and composition around Christ is based off of Copernican Theory of heliocentrism and images of the god Apollo. The evidence to support these claims includes particular pigment usage, pose, access to Apollo sculptures, and his relationship with Pope Clement VII.

Effects of the Media's Portrayal of Women in Modern American SocietyKelly Fallon – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

This study examined the impact of sexualized media images which objectify women on ambivalent sexism and rape myth acceptance. Seventy nine participants were exposed to either a slideshow of images of sexualized women in media images, or to a slideshow of images of average, non-sexualized women which served as a control group. All participants were given measures of ambivalent sexism and rape myth acceptance. Results indicated a significant effect on benevolent sexism. An analysis of correlations also indicated a significant relationship between total rape myth acceptance and average ambivalent sexism.

Examined the extent to which routine exercise correlates with memory retention. Thirty four college students completed a self-report questionnaire regarding exercise habits. Participants then viewed twenty words and recalled as many words as possible in given amount of time. Results failed to show a significant relationship between routine exercise and memory retention. Future research is discussed.

Have you ever wanted to experience life in a different culture? Have you ever thought about preserving the environment while creating memories during a visit to a new destination? What are the benefits of ecotourism? How do these benefits affect one’s life? With support through research and personal experiences gathered in Costa Rica, the answers to these questions and more will be explained in my display. While viewing this poster, people may gain an appreciation for the environment in which they are surrounded and how they use their resources.

Costa Rica is home to one of the most diverse groups of plants and animals on Earth. The animals that reside in its rainforests are often rare and unique, and thus have a grand draw on the tourists who come to visit. Ecotourism, an alternative to regular tourism, is a bright new field in the developing country of Costa Rica that aims to protect the country’s natural resources. While it has many benefits and detriments of the society of this country, it also has effects on the animals that reside there.

The present study examined the relationship between parenting style, perfectionism, and self-esteem among college students. Participants who had a relationship with their mother or mother-figure while growing up completed self-report questionnaires. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to one of the preceding three conditions: (1) positive performance feedback, (2) average performance feedback, or (3) negative performance feedback. Self-esteem was assessed after the feedback was received. The analyses show that people high in perfectionism will not react differently to performance feedback than people low in perfectionism. Also, people with authoritarian mothers will not react differently to the performance feedback than will people with permissive mothers as was originally hypothesized.

Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people, uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. Costa Rica is considered the leader of ecotourism, making sustainable development a priority due to the large number of national reserves and protected areas. The Costa Rican Tourism Board designed the Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program to differentiate companies among the tourism sector based on the degree to which they comply with a sustainable model of natural, cultural, and social resource management. Their scale has put Costa Rica at the top of ecotourism development.The Educated Self: Education and Societal Influenceson the Formulation of The SelfRoland Graves – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

The relationship between education level and self concept clarity as well as social desirability and self monitoring were examined. Ninety-Four undergraduate students at a small private college in eastern New York were asked to complete questionnaires regarding self-monitoring, social desirability, and self concept clarity. The various questionnaires were then correlated to find if a significant relationship existed between them. A significant small negative correlation was found between self concept clarity and self monitoring, while a moderate negative correlation was found between self monitoring and social desirability. These results put into question the motives for self monitoring as the study found a negative correlation between self monitoring and social desirability. Results also suggest that as one gains a clearer idea of who they are they are less likely to self monitor. A significant positive relationship was also found between education level and social desirability indicates that as one educationally progresses they tend to increasingly desire acceptance from society.

Past research suggests that perfectionists have difficulties with romantic relationships, particularly those high in socially-prescribed perfectionism. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which perfectionism relates to intimacy in romantic relationships, social anxiety, and infidelity. Seventy-four participants completed seven questionnaires measuring these variables. Results showed that people who scored high in socially-prescribed perfectionism also scored high in infidelity and social anxiety, but low on emotional and intellectual intimacy. No other correlations were statistically significant. The implications of these findings suggest that the interpersonal relationships of those high in socially-prescribed perfectionism may be strained.

This research project uses the strategies for solving traveling salesman problem, to plan a hike through a small portion of the High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Park. Starting from the Saint Huberts entrance, the hiking destinations are Bear Mountain, Dial Mountain, Nippletop, Mount Colvin, pyramid Peak, Armstrong Mountain, and Upper Wolf Jaw. The objective is to determine the minimum distance the hiker must trek in order to reach all of the destinations once, while returning to the starting entrance.

A retrospective study was conducted on the effectiveness of classroom visits by members of the Transgender Voice Modification Group at the College of Saint Rose. The purpose was for clients to practice and generalize voice therapy goals in a natural, functional setting, and to educate students on transgenderism and related issues. Surveys were completed to obtain information on the perceptions of students and transgender clients about the experience. Results indicated that the activity was a positive way to improve cultural competency in undergraduate and graduate students.

The purpose of the current study was to examine how parent-child attachment relates to romantic partner attachment, fear of intimacy, and trust in the adult children’s romantic relationships. Fifty undergraduate students were asked to answer a number of questionnaires which measured their parents’ marital status, attachment to parents, trust, intimacy, and romantic partner attachment. Results showed that adult children’s attachment to their mother was significantly and positively correlated with the level of attachment in their current romantic relationship. Future research should explore other aspects of the romantic relationship to see how they correlate with parental attachment.

The Effects of Birth Order and Family Relations on Narcissism and Love StylesClaire Itkowitz – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

The present study looked to find a relationship between birth order and family relationships in relation to narcissism and love styles. Participants were recruited from a small private school in upstate New York. The 100 participants, both men and women, were asked to fill out a series of questionnaires; the Index of Family Relations (IFR), Love Styles Scale, and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. They were also asked to provide their physical birth order. The results did not support the literature that there is a relationship between birth order and narcissism.

Have you ever considered traveling in an environmentally responsible way? What does it mean to travel in an environmentally responsible way? Is it expensive? Complicated? Bothersome? Exactly what is ecotourism? Answers to these questions garnered through first hand experiences and research conducted in Costa Rica will be highlighted in my display. After viewing this poster, travelers may think twice about the vacation they are about to book; about how they are able to incorporate environmentally responsible practices into their travel. They will also learn about the impact ecotourism has on their home country, the country to be visited, and the environment as a whole.

There is a critical shortage of young adults entering career fields in the sciences and engineering. One of the main reasons is the lack of basic understanding and ability to apply concepts learned in these subject areas. This research and development based Independent Study was created to show the importance of applications in the mathematics classroom. Numerous examples and activities were created to supplement the New York State Integrated Algebra curriculum, targeting student interests while also exposing students to problems that different engineers face every day.

Students in today’s society are held to a higher standard than ever to develop a high level of literacy across multiple subject areas. One of the best ways to help students develop their literacy is to provide interdisciplinary examples. The SCRATCH Taxation program can be implemented or modified slightly for use in computer science, mathematics, business and social studies classes from the second grade to college level to teach various topics including civic lessons, the political process, piecewise functions, etc. The program is geared to engage as well as inform students about current taxation, alternative taxation styles such as Progressive/proportional and other important facts regarding taxes. By having the students use/develop this program, they become immersed in the application of mathematics and logical thinking needed to succeed in today’s society.

Examined irrational health beliefs as a predictor of negative attitudes toward vaccines. One hundred and thirty-six college students completed self-report measures that assessed negative attitudes toward vaccines, vaccination behaviors, irrational health beliefs, distrust of the health care system, neuroticism, optimism, and responsibility for health. Results suggest that scores on an irrational health beliefs scale and a health responsibility scale predict scores on a negative attitudes toward vaccines scale. Additionally, students who had not been vaccinated for HPV or the seasonal flu reported significantly more negative attitudes toward vaccines. Future research should examine ways to target and reduce irrational health beliefs.

For Art History 399 (Special Topics: Study Abroad in Italy), my research focused on Michelangelo's Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Prior to studying abroad in Italy over spring break, I spent several weeks researching all the popular debates surrounding this particular genesis panel. As one of the most easily recognized artworks in Western civilization, there were many intriguing debates about Michelangelo's Creation of Adam. However, the debate that sparked my interest most was one that questioned the identity of a (seemingly female) figure under God's embrace. Scholars have identified this woman as the Virgin Mary, Eve, Divine Wisdom, and even the Jewish Holy Spirit. Based on my analysis of primary sources, scholarly texts and articles, as well as my own personal opinion, I argue that the mystery woman is Eve. Michelangelo’s decision to paint the woman in the nude, her intense gaze towards Adam, and reference to original sin all support this theory and have brought me to this conclusion. Had I not researched this specific topic, a widely unrecognized aspect of Michelangelo's masterpiece, I would feel deprived of knowing one of art history’s greatest hidden secrets.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in New York State TicksRebecca Lewis, P. Bryon Backenson, Kari Murad, Ph.D. and Melissa A. PrusinskiDepartment of Physical and Biological Sciences, The College of Saint Rose Investigations and Vector Surveillance Units, Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, New York State Department of HealthFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Kari Murad

To study the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in New York State (NYS), ticks were collected from twenty-two counties. Ixodes scapularis nymphs were tested by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Gel Electrophoresis to determine prevalence of the following pathogens: Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Babesia microti (Babesiosis),and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Anaplasmosis). The prevalence of bacterial infection in ticks is dependent on the geographical location of the county in NYS. Results from these studies are used to generate epidemiological reports and tick-borne disease risk assessments for use by local and state Departments of Health in resource allocation and tick-borne disease prevention strategies.

The definition of a semi-regular tiling is a pattern made by repeating two or more regular polygons. Using this definition, the eight types of semi-regular tessellations were investigated through the examination of mathematical journals. Specific aspects of semi-regular tilings, like mathematical formulas involved incalculating what qualifies as such or the naming of these tessellations, were explored. The difference between a regular and semi-regular tessellation was also noted. Investigation was then taken into who had discovered these various types of tilings.

The Taxicab Geometry alters the Euclidean distance function in order to create a real-world application. The Euclidean distance formula calculates the straight route from point A to point B while the Taxicab metric allows us to calculate this distance within the confines of the city street, which is equivalent to the distance that we would walk or drive. Through this geometry we can also calculate the radius of the Taxicab circle and determine the “walking radius” which allows us to determine which destinations in a city would be of equal walking distance from a central point.

Yeast thrive in environments with high sugar content. Yeast use sugar to create energy, generating the by-products of alcohol and carbon dioxide gas (CO2); this process is known as fermentation. Following the identification procedures (previous poster), this study tested the fermentation capability of the five isolated strains of wild yeast. Yeast strains were grown up in overnight culture and then added to fermentation chambers. Fermentation rate was monitored for each of the yeast strains at various time points using CO2 gas release and alcohol concentration as indicators. Results from comparison of the wild yeast strains and the commercially purchased strain will be provided to Harvest Spirits Farm Distillery for possible incorporation into their product.

Isolation and Analysis of Wild Yeast from a Local Distillery: Part OneJana McGinnis, Rachael McCormick and Kari Murad, Ph.D.Department of Physical and Biological SciencesFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Kari Murad

Yeast are unicellular microorganisms that are found in many places in the environment. The goal of this study was to isolate “wild” yeast from the skin of apples picked from a local orchard, Golden Harvest Farms in association with Harvest Spirits Farm Distillery. The distillers inquired about using local wild yeast in their products as opposed to commercially purchased yeast. Due to lack of laboratory equipment at the distillery, we collaborated with them on this study in order to isolate and identify local yeast strains found on their apples using a number of microbiological techniques. Five strains of yeast were successfully isolated and these findings were later applied to fermentation studies (next poster).

Macrophages are an important cell in the body’s immune defense system. Recently, they have been found to play a role in disease progression, especially in heart disease, where macrophages are the predominant cells involved in creating and maintaining atherosclerotic plaque lesions. Protein Kinase C epsilon (PKC) is a cellular protein involved in the process of cellular internalization and has a demonstrated role in macrophage phagocytosis. To determine where in the cellular structure of the macrophage the PKC is coming from during phagocytosis, RAW 264.7 cells were transfected with 3 plasmid constructs, PKC (AMC 004), Rab11a (AMC 135), and B1-4BT (AMC 136) to track the movement of PKC and pinpoint the protein’s cellular location.

The country of Costa Rica is a very beautiful country known for its forests, animals, and exotic plants. Costa Rica is also known for the birth and prevalence of ecotourism. Ecotourism is a type of tourism intended to sustain the country's natural resources however it is not entirely positive for the country. Ecotourism brings in money for Costa Rican communities and their economy, but it also has negative aspects. The environment and natural resources are negatively affected by the tourism in the country. There is a delicate balance in order to preserve the environment while still bringing money in to the country of Costa Rica.

In Costa Rica, the people live by the phrase Pura Vida. There are literal, as well as metaphorical significances to this phrase. Through the use of interviews, this paper aims to examine the various significances that the phrase Pura Vida has to Costa Rican citizens. The significance the interviewees mention include, but are not limited to, optimism, environmental conservation, religion, and every day life. This paper attempts to capture the vibrant spirit of Costa Rica and educate the readers on the lifestyle and attitudes held by the Costa Rican people.

This presentation will be covering information about M.C. Escher’s life and some of his artwork. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist. He incorporated a lot of different types of mathematics into many of his art pieces. One major accomplishment Escher had was creating tessellations in his art work. It is remarkable Escher was able to do this without having any previous mathematical knowledge. Tessellations involve so many geometrical concepts that many people would not know by just looking at the pictures. Rotations, reflections, dilations, and transformations are major concepts in the tessellations Escher created.

The goose population in New York State has recently become problematic. To reduce their population, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided to implement a program to humanely euthanize them and donate the meat to food pantries. Before distribution, portions were sent to the NYS Department of Agriculture Food Laboratory to determine lead concentrations. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry was used to calculate lead concentrations at the parts per billion level. Several samples contained concentrations greater than the European Union action level for lead in meat. The results were reported to the USDA who determined which samples would be safe for consumption.

Effects of Ketamine and PCP on Acquisition, Consolidation and Retrieval of Habituation of the Acoustic Startle Response in Long-Evans RatsLindsey J. Noble – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

The effects of two different N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, PCP and Ketamine, were studied to see the effects on leaning, memory consolidation, and memory retrieval. These drug groups were compared to a saline group looking at long-term and short-term habituation of the acoustic startle response in rats. The drugs were administered either: before training, after training,or before testing, allowing the separation of learning, consolidation, and retrieval.

Digital Interaction and Stress Management: The Effects of Games on StressSamuel Wiley Onderdonk – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Robert Flint

The present study examined video game play on physiological stress levels. Thirty-five female and 15 male college students in New York were stressed and randomly assigned to either play a nonviolent or violent video game, or to a control group. Results failed to find a significant relationship between video game played and levels of stress. Levels of statistical significance were low. Strengths of this study included the experimental design and physiological measures of stress. Limitations included time constraints, and problems of sample size. Additional research is necessary to accurately measure different video games and their impact on levels of stress.

Self-Gain or Self-Sustain: The Loss of Group Harmony to IndividualismJasmin Raidoo – Department of Social WorkFaculty Supervisor: Gregory Gross

In an increasingly individualistic world, the once treasured “American dream” of achieving success from nothing has been lost to narcissism. David Mamet illustrates this concept in his play, Glengarry Glen Ross. The strained group dynamics within the play emphasize the loss of group cohesion and the erosion of the American dream. The characters either work for their own self-interest (self-gain) or to just stay a part of the company (self-sustain). Individualism is not inherently a negative thing. However, when coupled with the narcissism that has taken hold of society, the value of a group and/or organization is lost to the drive for individual gain.

The Mechanisms of Epilepsy: The Merging of Mathematics, Neurobiology and TechnologyShelby Rorick and Dr. Amina EladdadiFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Amina Eladdadi

Epilepsy is one of the well- known brain disorders and the least understood of them all. Neuroscience research is helping in understanding the brain, its functions, as well as its disorders. The integration of mathematics, neurobiology and technology is becoming essential to studying the brain disorders including epilepsy. In this research, I explore the mechanisms of epilepsy and the roles that mathematical modeling plays in investigating some of epilepsy’s characteristics such as the theta band connectivity, intrinsic neuronal properties of population firing, and the topology of the neural networks.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a major human pathogen, is generally associated with skin infections; however this strain can be found as normal colonized flora on healthy individuals. Understanding of the prevalence of community-associated MRSA is important for both researchers and the general public. For this study, college students voluntarily underwent nasal swabbing. Microbial samples were then tested for Staphylococcus aureus using standard laboratory procedures. Isolated colonies of S. aureus then went through further testing to determine antibiotic resistance. Results showed that 5 out of 24 students (21%) had positive MRSA results from normal nasal flora, which was higher than expected.

Several natives shared their ideas of how a tourist can help support ecotourism in Costa Rica. Many of the ideas supporting ecotourism involve both the importance of the people, as well as the environment. Costa Rica is a very geographically diverse country which provides many opportunities for tourists to support ecotourism.

Artwork and architecture is present everywhere. Buildings are tall and massive, while artwork can leave one mystified. Both can be inspiring and wonderful to create, but one usually does not notice a main concept behind it; this concept is geometry. The term geometry is vague, mainly due to the many areas that can be encompassed by it. Although this is true, many aspects of geometry are present in artwork and architecture. Perspective and proportional ratios are a high driving factor behind both artwork and architecture, and key persons stem back to the beginning of the advancement of art and architecture.

Our presentation demonstrates the mathematics behind the creation of soap bubbles. Illustrations will be provided showing what happens when the bubbles are manipulated using wire forms. Shapes such as a cube, tetrahedron, and dodecahedron are just a few examples involving the fascinating mathematical concept of minimizing surface area.

Examined the extent to which need for assimilation correlates with collective self-esteem and consumer ethnocentrism in students studying abroad in Spain and students studying in the United States. One hundred and twelve college students completed self-report measures of need for assimilation/distinctiveness, collective self-esteem, and consumer ethnocentrism. Results showed that place of study moderated the relationship between need for assimilation and importance to identity. It appears that studying abroad makes students' national identity salient to them.

Chaos in EcologyEmily Taft and Katherine Wilsey – Department of MathematicsFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Amina EladdadiDynamical systems include mathematical models that are of great use and importance in ecology. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions. Chaotic behavior can be observed in many natural systems. The predator-prey mathematical population model can be used to analyze the effects one species has on another in a certain ecosystem, and also to determine any chaotic behavior in the species population. In this study, we examine actual data of Nile perch being introduced into Lake Victoria, their effects on the population of cichlids, and any chaotic behavior that occurs.

Costa Rica is known to be a place that heavily promotes ecotourism. While studying in Costa Rica for 2 weeks, I decided to take a look at the affect ecotourism has on jobs there. I was able to interview three different employers of three completely different job types. By the end of my studies I narrowed down my research to taxi jobs, farm/ranch jobs, and tourist jobs. I found that for many of these jobs, ecotourism has benefited them greatly in numerous ways. This was also true when looking at the hotels and the ways they supported ecotourism. In many ways these jobs make people more aware of the importance of ecotourism and what we, as tourists, are able to do to help. Ecotourism has also brought in money for the country through these jobs, especially tourism jobs such as zip-lining or horseback riding tours. Although these are some positives, there are also negative impacts that ecotourism has had on jobs in Costa Rica. One example is the taxi companies there. Since there are so many tourists who visit Costa Rica, more and more people have decided to create their own taxi companies, taking money away from the real companies, as well as not knowing the shortest routes to places and wasting more gas than the taxi companies would waste. This poster is intended to show the benefits and downfalls ecotourism has on the jobs in Costa Rica, as well as some of the people I spoke with concerning this topic. Enjoy!

Birth Order and Parenting Styles as Predictors of Level of Introversion in College StudentsDanielle Tommasone – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Nancy Dorr

Although past research has examined the relationship between birth order and personality, results do not show a consistent relationship. Seventy college students answered self-report measures of birth order, parenting style, and extraversion/introversion. I hypothesized that firstborn individuals parented in an authoritarian style would be more introverted than firstborn individuals parented in an authoritative or permissive style. Contrary to this hypothesis, results showed participants who rated their mother's parenting style as authoritative scored higher in introversion and those who rated their father's parenting style as authoritative and were firstborn scored higher in introversion.

Food safety is always a major concern in public health. Widespread food-borne illnesses have frequently been associated with packaged produce, such as bagged spinach and lettuce. Previous studies have shown large amounts of colony forming units (CFU) per gram (g) weight in packaged produce. Just recently (in 2011), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled 5,379 bags of salad products by the Ready Pac Foods, Inc. due to contamination with Escherichia coli O157:H7. This study was conducted to test the food quality of commercially available, packaged spinach using the microbiological techniques of standard plate count and bacterial identification.

Oyster reefs have become decimated due to overfishing and the degradation of their habitats, affecting the surrounding communities. There have been many attempts to build artificial reefs in hopes of reestablishing these communities. Prior research has focused on how macrofauna associated with the reef have been affected, while meiofauna have largely been ignored. The purpose of this project was to determine if artificial reefs have altered the meiofauna community around it. Core samples were taken around the reef and analyzed, paying attention to diversity. We have found nematodes, arthropods, annelids, cnidarians, and mollusks. Further analysis is to be performed.

The current study examined the extent to which presenting college students with different types of consequences of contracting human papillomavirus (HPV) affects intentions to engage in behavior to prevent contracting the virus. Sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to read a pamphlet that described one of the four consequences of contracting HPV (anal cancer, oral cancer, genital warts, and cervical and penial cancers). Intentions to take preventative action against HPV was measured. Results showed that reading about anal cancer as a consequence of HPV significant increased students’ intentions to get vaccinated against this disease as compared to the other conditions.

Why Do Some Older Adults Show a Lack of Interest in Health Promotion Programs?Simone Westerman – Department of PsychologyFaculty Supervisor: Dr. Nancy Dorr

Eco-tourism is a type of tourism that focuses on the sustainability, preservation, and appreciation of the environment. Therefore, it is necessary that a country that prides itself on its Eco-tourism has clean and renewable forms of energy. This is the case with the country of Costa Rica, which is a leader in the world with respect to its clean and renewable energy sources. The most common form of renewable energy used in Costa Rica is hydroelectric, but they are also expanding their use of geothermal, wind, and solar energy.

Michelangelo started working on the Four Slaves in 1521. He had plenty of time to complete the commission of the statues from 1521to 1545. I pose that he purposely chose not to complete the figures, as they were more effective left unfinished. I am basing my argument on a visual analysis of Michelangelo's Four Slaves of the Tomb of Pope Julius II, they are as follows: The Young Slave, The Awakening Slave, The Bearded Slave, and Atlas.

In the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, the active, west-dipping Cordillera Blanca Normal Fault (CBNF) vertically offsets numerous moraines (some dated) and valley floors. We profiled CBNF scarps on eight moraines and two valley floors in six valleys. Data from Schwartz (1988) was used for a third valley scarp. We calculated valley floor slip rates of 0.7-1.1 mm/yr, which are similar to those of Schwartz (1988). Our moraine slip rates fall between the overall rate for the CBNF of 0.86-1.36 mm/yr (Schwartz, 1988) and a rate of 3±1 mm/yr for moraines ~70 km north of our field area (Siame et al., 2006).

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Related Information

Undergraduate Summer Research Grants

The College is pleased to offer the Undergraduate Summer Research Grant program for 2014-2015. The purpose of these grants is to provide students with on-campus housing and a cash stipend to enable them to remain on campus over the summer in order to carry out an original scholarly project. Students are encouraged to consult with faculty members regarding scholarly opportunities within their academic discipline. Click here for more details on this program.

A total of seven undergraduate research proposals were funded in last year's program. Follow this link to read the 2014 Undergraduate Summer Research Grant abstracts and outcomes.

Undergraduate Research Symposium

You are invited to present a poster at The College of Saint Rose Undergraduate Research Symposium. Share the results of your research efforts with the faculty, your peers, and other members of the Saint Rose community. The symposium will be held in the St. Joseph's Hall auditorium on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Click here for more information on taking part in the symposium.